The Day She Died
by Naruke
Summary: Somebody on Team 7 has died. Kinda AU. NaruHina, SasuSaku. Two part fic. [COMPLETE]
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, do you think I'd be putting it up here? No. I'd publishing the damned thing!

**-The Day She Died-**

The day she died, I wasn't there. I was out getting married. I didn't even know she was dead until the day before the memorial. Hinata was so shocked-she'd been close friends with her.

At first I was angry. Why did He take her life? Then my anger turned into grief. I was invited to her wedding. Now I wouldn't be able to see her. Nor would I ever again.

The day of the memorial was one of the worst days of my life. That day, I saw something I thought I'd never see-a crying Sasuke. Not the loud, bawling tears, but not the soft sniffles, either. Silent tears. That's what they were. _So that bastard does have a heart_, I thought. Then the pastor started talking.

That's when the waterworks started. So many things he said were true! She _was _dedicated to her team. She _was_ loyal to her friends, and she _was _faithful to her fiancé.

I looked to the front of the church, at the altar, which had a blue, see-through vase that held the remains of her on it. On the left side of the vase was her hitai-ate. On the other side was a picture with an inscription underneath it. Just looking at her beautiful face made me want to cry again.

I held my head in my hands, trying my best not to cry. Hinata's hand on my back told me it was okay to cry. I took a deep calming breath, and read the inscription:

In Loving Memory of Uchiha Sakura

After I read this, I turned to Sasuke, the new emotional Sasuke, and said, "She always wanted to be and die as an Uchiha. I guess she got her wish, in a weird sort of way, ne?"

He managed a weak smile and a soft "thanks" before his flood started anew.


	2. Learning to Live Without You

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, don't you think I'd be able to draw well?

**-Learning to Live Without You-**

Ever since you left, I've been learning to live again.

There's a pattern to my life; have you noticed? I'm happy, thinking life couldn't get better. Then tragedy strikes.

I found you, and I couldn't have been happier. The day I proposed to you, and when you said yes; that day I think I knew that something terrible would happen to me.

I was waiting for something to happen to someone else; I was too afraid to face the facts. I knew something would happen to you, but I didn't want to admit it.

Then, when I finally faced the truth and my fears, you were gone. Dead.

I hate that word: death. That's pretty much all my life is centered around: The death of my clan, the death of Itachi, and the death of you.

The day of your memorial, Naruto said something to me that was comforting in its own absurd way: "She always said she wanted to be and die an Uchiha. I guess she got her wish, in a weird sorta way, ne?" He had a point.

Of all my questions for the gods, the most pressing would be this: why did you have to be the one to get leukemia? Why not Tenten? Or Ino? Or Hinata? Why couldn't it have been someone except you?

Now I've got a guilty voice telling me that that wasn't a very nice thing to say. If Tenten, Ino, or Hinata had died, Neji, Shikamaru, and Naruto would be feeling the same thing I am feeling.

You know what I mean, that desperately lonely feeling that makes you want to curl up and die? Sometimes I wish I could do that.

But then the voice comes back and tells me that I have to live for them. Damn voice.

Them. The friends and companions I have gained over the years. I know that if I died or left, Naruto would be torn. His heart has already suffered too many blows: having no parents; the villagers ridiculing him. And now that you've gone, Hinata's gonna have her work cut out for her, healing that idiot's broken heart.

I sit her at your grave, contemplating my life, my past, you, and what would happen if I decided to just end it all. Maybe I should go.

---

The young man stands up, still gazing upon the stone tablet that marked where his dead lover lay.

"I'm leaving now, Sakura. But don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow."

The young man turns, and begins to walk away, looking and feeling helpless. He pauses. Looking up, and a few sakura blossoms fall upon the man's upturned face. He smiles. "So you've been listening, have you...Sakura."


End file.
